Removable gear for auto busses, trucks, etc.



June 18, 1929. s, KEMBLE 1,717,511,

REMOVABLE GEAR Fpn AUTO BUSSES, frnucxs, ETC

Original Filed July 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I %ENTR ouif June 18, 1929.I I s, KEMBLE 1.717.511

REMOVABLE GEAR FOR AUTO BUSSES, TRUCKS, ETC

Original Filed July 2, 1 924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lgggNTgE Patented June 18,1929.

UNITED STATES ;1,717,511 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. KEMBLE, OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO UNIVERSAL GAS ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF LAWRENCE, KANSAS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

REMOVABLE GEAR FOR AUTO BUSSES, TRUCKS, ETC.

Original application filed July 2,1924, Serial No. 723,772; Divided andthis application filed June 13, I

1927. Serial No. ,198,661.

or field windings, due to the automatic break-' er box sticking orburning. When trouble occurs with one of the motors, the entire vehicleis out of commission until the necessary repairs have been made;

My invention has for its object, to provide a removable gear, so thatany one of the entire gear trains may be disconnected without any otherdisassembling, and so that, al-

- though in an extreme case, three of the motors may go wrong, still bythe use of my improvement, stoppage of the vehicle for repairs will notbe necessary, as each of the damaged motors may be completelydisconnected and the vehicle may be operated under low power by onemotor alone.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more readilyunderstood by having reference to the accompanying drawings, which arehereunto annexed and are a part of this specification, in which- Fig. 1is a top or plan view of a portion of the chassis of a bus which isdriven by two pairs of motors mounted in tandem;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section, showing myinvention; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the same.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the entiredescription.

As shown in the drawings, the chassis'comprises two side frames 1 and 2,and cross which is slidably splined upon the live axle 13,

which is rotatably mounted in anti-friction bearings 14 and 15. The liveaxle 13 carries the wheels 16 which may be secured thereto in the usualmanner;

The gear trains thus described are enclosed in suitable. gear casings;vand in the outer wall 17 of the casing 18 which encloses the maindriving gear 12 I form an aperture opposite the pinionill, andsufficiently large to permit the said pinion 11 to pass through it.Internal threads 20 are cutin the wall of the opening, which fit threads21 cut upon aremovable cover plate-22. This plate 22 may be providedwith a hexagonal recess 23 for the reception of a wrench, or it may beprovided with holes 24 in its periphery to receive a spanner.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that, if any motor is in trouble,by removing the coverplate 22 the pinion 11 may be withdrawn from itscountershaft 10, (as it is slidably splined thereon so that it may beeasily removed,) and thus disconnect the gear train between the motor 4and the wheel 16 without disturbing the functioning of the live axle 13and its bearings 14 and 15, and also without disassembly of motor orgear case other than the removal of plate 22.

It-will be obvious, also, that o mounting the main driving gear 12 slida1y splined upon the live axle 13, this axle 13 with its outer bearing 14may be removed without disturbing anything but the cover plate which isdetachably secured to the gear casing 18, thus greatly facilitatingrepairs or replacements on the wheels.

Although I have shown and described specific form and detail for myremovable gear, this is done only to show a preferred form of myinvention, and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to suchspecific details except as such limitation may be found in thehereinafter contained claims.

Having described my invention, what I regard as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A rear axle formed by two motors in tandem, an eccentric gear casinglocated close up to and on the inside of the chassis frame, a pinion onthe motor shaft, a gear meshing therewith, a countershaft on which saidgear is mounted, said shaft being mounted at a lower elevation or planeunder said frame, a pinion on the other end of said shaft, a gear inmesh with said last named pinion, a drive axle on which said gear ismounted, a casing pinion on the other end of said shaft, a gearv in meshwith said last named pinion, a drive axle on which said gear is mounted,a casing for said gears close to the outer side of the frame, anaperture in said casin opposite the pinion on the countershaft, an adetachable cover for said aperture, said axle being located at a higherelevation than said shaft, said axle being slidably splined in the hubof its gear to permit its withdrawal without removing said gear.

THOMAS S. KEMBLE.

